Katherine McKinley

Ida McKinley (née Saxton) was born on June 8, 1847, in Canton, Ohio. She was the eldest child of James Saxton, a prominent banker, and Katherine "Kate" DeWalt. Her family was among the early pioneer families of Canton and was considered wealthy. James Saxton was the second-richest man in Canton through his work in banking.

Saxton was raised in the Saxton House and had close lifelong relationships with her mother and grandmother, Christiana DeWalt. During the American Civil War, her mother led volunteer efforts to supply the Union Army, and Ida assisted during her visits home from boarding school. Her parents espoused abolitionism and believed in equal education for women. James Saxton served on the board of Canton’s public schools and appointed Betsy Mix Cowles, a prominent abolitionist and suffragette, as principal of Canton Union School. Cowles became a mentor to Ida.

She attended Delphi Academy in Clinton County, New York, from 1862 to 1863, where she learned accounting and finance. Due to Confederate sympathies there, she later studied at Sanford School in Cleveland, Ohio, from 1863 to 1865. Saxton excelled academically, earning a reputation as a gifted student. From 1865 to 1868, she attended Brooke Hall Female Seminary, where she received education in music, languages, and needlework. She traveled frequently to Philadelphia for opera and concerts and formed lasting friendships with peers and teachers, including Harriet Gault, who advocated physical activity for women.

In 1868, her father compelled her to pursue acting to help finance a new Presbyterian church, leading her to perform tableau scenes at Schaefer's Opera House. She also worked as a clerk and later as a cashier at Stark County Bank, owned by her father. Her involvement at the bank was viewed as unusual for a woman of her time, but she believed it supported her independence. She continued working there until her marriage.

In 1869, Ida and her sister Mary undertook a Grand Tour of Europe, visiting Ireland, Scotland, England, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, and Italy, under the supervision of Janette Alexander. During this trip, she visited art museums, met sculptor Vinnie Ream and mouth painter Charles Felir, and even met Pope Pius IX in Italy. Her experiences abroad influenced her social outlook and awareness of economic disparities, such as observing lace workers in Belgium.

Saxton met William McKinley in 1868 at a picnic near Canton. She was then engaged to Confederate Army veteran John Wright, who died suddenly of brain inflammation. After her recovery, Saxton was courted by McKinley, with whom she had frequent interactions at social and religious functions. They married on January 25, 1871, at the First Presbyterian Church in Canton, in a service attended by approximately one thousand guests. The marriage ceremony was conducted by Reverend E. Buckingham and Reverend Dr. Endsley.

The couple settled in Canton, initially living in the St. Cloud Hotel, then in a house on North Market and Elizabeth Street. Their first child, Katherine "Katie" McKinley, was born on December 25, 1871. Ida was active socially and religiously, joining William’s Methodist church, and Katie was baptized there.

William McKinley’s political career began with his election as Ohio governor, serving from 1892 to 1896, during which Ida served as the First Lady of Ohio. William was elected President of the United States in 1896, and Ida became First Lady of the United States, serving from 1897 until 1901. Her health declined after the death of her mother and her second pregnancy, which resulted in the birth and subsequent death of a second child in 1873. She suffered from seizures and epilepsy, conditions believed to have been precipitated by a fall at her mother’s burial.

Ida McKinley remained married to William McKinley until his assassination in 1901. She was known to visit her husband's resting place daily until her death. Ida McKinley died on May 26, 1907.